Decorative article



Aug. 11, 1959 Filed Oct. 1, 1956 G. JOSEPHSON v 2,898,755

DECORATIVE ARTICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l llll' ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 2,898,755 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 DECORATIVE ARTICLE Gilbert Josephson, White Plains, N.Y.

Application October 1, 1956, Serial No. 613,107

2 Claims. (CI. 6725) This invention relates to a decorative article and relates more particularly to a decorative centerpiece for a table and the like.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a decorative centerpiece for a table or the like which is of knock-down construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a knockdown article which is susceptible of many different decorative and utilitarian arrangements.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a tubular member or adaptor which may be mounted on the centerpiece formed of the interengaged vertical members not only to augment the decorative elfect or to add a utilitarian elfect, but also to hold the interlocked vertical members together.

Other objects and advantages. of my invention, together with certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

In its broadest aspect my invention comprises a plurality of separate vertical members, preferably of artistic form, which have slots substantially centrally thereof whereby said vertical members may be joined together to form the decorative article desired. While the vertical members may be made of metal, ceramic materials or any other suitable material, I prefer to mold the same from a relative rigid synthetic plastic material, such as methyl methacrylate, methyl alpha-chloroacrylate or the like, which may be transparent, translucent or opaque and of many-diiferent colors, thus making for many decorative effects. Moreover, each of the vertical members may be dilferent from the other.

Referring now to the drawings wherein preferred embodiments of my invention are shown,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a centerpiece, made up of assembled vertical members, comprising one embodiment of my invention, namely a two-candle candelabrum,

2 is a top plan view of the centerpiece shown in 1g.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale and partly in section, of another feature of my invention comprising a slotted tubular holder or adaptor for mounting on assembled vertical members,

Fig. 5 is a view from below of the tubular holder shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation view of the centerpiece shown in Fig. 1 showing in operative relation to the assembled vertical members the tubular holder shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a view, partly in section, taken along the line 7--7 of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a four-candle candelabrum centerpiece embodying my invention,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged side view, partly in section, of a slotted tubular holder of different construction than that shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 10 is a view taken along the line 10-10 of Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is an enlarged side view of the tubular holder of Fig. 9 holding a tray, and

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a centerpiece with the holder and tray of Fig. 11 in assembled position on a candelabrum.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, vertical member 1 has an upwardly opening vertical slot 2 in the upper edge thereof and a pair of vertical ridges 3 and 4 on each side wall of the member 1 directly below the vertical walls of slot 2. A vertical member 5 is provided with a downwardly opening vertical slot 6 in the lower edge thereof and a pair of vertical ridges 7 and 8 on each side wall of the member 5, directly above the vertical walls of slot 6. Paired ridges 3, 4 and 7, 8 cooperate with the side walls of the vertical members to lock the vertical members in assembled position and to eliminate play and twisting between the vertical members whereby a more rigid and stable construction is attained. As shown, the ends of vertical member 5 are provided with holders 9 and 10 cemented thereto or molded integrally therewith. Candles or other objects may be directly inserted into the holders 9 and 10, or into metal cups 11 and 12 inserted in said holders.

In Fig. 4, there is shown a tubular member or adaptor 13 which is arranged to be mounted centrally of the centerpiece at the point of intersection of the assembled vertical members. To this end, the wall 14 of the tubular member 13 is provided with four downwardly opening slots 15, 16, 17 and 18 for slidablyengaging the side walls of the vertical members. The upper end of tubular member 13 is closed, and on the closed end 19 is carried a neck 20 supporting a holder 21 in which is received a metal cup 22. The tubular member 13, the neck 20 and holder 21 may be integrally molded of plastic material. By mounting the tubular member shown in Fig. 4 on the two-candle candelabrum centerpiece a three-candle candelabrum is formed. Moreover, the tubular member also acts to maintain the interengaged members in their locked position.

Fig. 8 shows a four-candle candelabraum centerpiece formed by replacing vertical member 1 having no holders at its extremities by vertical member 23 having holders 24 and 25 at its extremities. By adding the tubular member or adaptor 26 shown in Fig. 9 to the candelabrum centerpiece shown in Fig. 8, a five-candle candelabrum is obtained. This tubular member 26 is in the form of an open tube provided internally thereof with spaced, integral seats or shoulders 27, 28, 29 and 30 positioned below the upper edge of the tube and with slots similar to and for the same purpose as the slots 15, 16, 17 and 18 of the adaptor shown in Fig. 4. The adaptor 26 may support on seats 27, 28, 29 and 30 a base 31 having a neck 32 having mounted thereon a holder 33 and metal cup 34 for the reception of a candle or, as is shown in Figs. 11 and 12, an ash tray 35. However, another ornamental or utilitarian receptacle such as a flower vase or candy dish, not shown, may be mounted on base 31 and neck 32 and attached to the centerpiece by means of the adaptor 26.

It will, of course, be understood that any other type of holder, ornament or the like may be mounted on the center reinforcement member and/or the ends of the vertical members of the embodiments of my invention described above and in the accompanying drawings. It will also be understood that various other modifications and variations obvious to persons skilled in the art may be made use of without departing from the spirit and purview of the instant invention. Thus, the vertical members may be of different lengths and/ or thicknesses and/ or heights supporting holders or other objects at any desired locations thereon, and crossing at an angle other an. a right a e. an at eetest e he than the qeaters thereof.

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, it w e en. ha the. een em eq 9i e nart n ent on is ea i y nd utek t aeat ab e o sales packaging in a compact form, Assembly of the enterp ece tn requires th at i. gass n q iotathe. t o e ical m mbers at, slot pro id d h re:- in, followed, if desired, by slipping the tubular member a ap er eve he i t o in er ett n her b a stabl i id and etet censt uet p s attaine It is to b un e to hat e t e qina d a l d: der ra e s. re y i n by way Q llust et qr and at. many va a s m e ma h re n wit out de r from they spirit of invention.

Ha d s e m t n ion, hat I es re o QQMQ by Letters Patent is:

l. A knock-down decorative centerpiece c o rnp risingv a fi t v a m m e ha in n. t e ppe ed e eo an pw y p ni er a slo nd a eaeh sid wa l thereof nd dir c lew h v rtie l Walls of a d lot Pa r Q ve e rid e a e ond. e tieat membe aving n e o e d her fa dow wardly pe in vertical slot and on each sidewall thereof and directly a ov e e al Walls o a d lot a p ir- Qf ve ical dg s, sa d v rti a mem er epara e engagin e ch other at said slots, said pair of vertical ridges on said fi and e ond v ti a memb r ooperati g wi h th side walls of said. e ond a fir t vertical mem e re-. pe v y, to ock h v al memhers n as embled Position and o liminate P ay a wisting bet-ween the vertical members, a vertical tubular member having in the lower edge thereof downwardly opening vertical slots mounted at the intersection of said vertical members in such manner that the vertical walls of said slots are in engagement with the side walls of said vertical members, said tubular member having a plurality of shoulders provided internally thereof and being circumferenia ly erased. a qve he. upper edge Qt aid. slots an a base supported on said shoulders for the mounting thereon of a decorative article.

' 2. A knock-down candelabrum centerpiece, comprising a first vertical member having in the central portion of the upper edge thereof an upwardly opening vertical slot and on each side wall thereof and directly below the vertical walls of said slot a'pair of vertical ridges, a second vertical mernberhaying in the. central portion of the lower edge thereof a downwardly opening vertical slot and on each sidewall thereof and directly above the ca 1 01 said l t a pai o ver al r d es, said vertical members separably engaging each other at right angles to each other at said slots, 'said pair of vertical ridges on said first and second vertical member cooperating with the side walls of said second and first vertical member, respectively, to lock said vertical members in sem led Posit n and to. limi ate play and twistin between the vertical; members, candleholders at the extremities of at least one of said vertical members, a vertubnlar member having in the lower edge thereof downwardly op n g ve t al lots mounted at the intersection of said vertical members in such manner that the v rtical, walls of said slots are in engagement with the side walls of; said ver i al; members, said tubular member having a plurality of shoulders rovided internally thereof and being eircumferentially spaced above the pper edge t aid lot and; a base sup 011 Said ould rs. tor he mount ng thereon of a decorative article,

References Cited in the file of patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,115 Great Britain Mar. 17, 1885 136,002 Sweden June 10; 1952 

